A record number of white wagtails are roosting in Valletta’s trees this winter after the local council changed its pruning strategies to allow a dense enough canopy for the birds to roost.

According to Birdlife CEO Mark Sultana, a record 10,786 white wagtails (Zakak Abjad) were recorded at Great Siege Square and St John Square during an annual count last Saturday.

“This year was a special year, with an influx of white wagtails visiting our islands, which coincided well with a decision not to prune the trees these birds seek every night,” Mr Sultana said.

“Thousands of birds flying in to roost is an amazing spectacle. We hope it encourages people to visit the city in the evenings to spot these beautiful birds.”

For reasons that are not yet fully understood, wagtails from all over Malta fly in to Valletta every night to find refuge in the city’s ficus trees. However, over-pruning in the last few years made the trees an unsuitable habitat for the birds.

Picture - Aron Tanti.

Valletta mayor Alexei Dingli said that following consultation with birdlife, the decision was made to delay the heavy pruning until the wagtails had migrated back to breed in northern Europe.

“By design, Valletta is not rich in greenery, which is something we hope to change both for its own beauty and because it complements the local architecture,” Prof Dingli said. “We were happy to change such a small routine for the benefit of these birds and the natural environment.”

Presenting the mayor with a symbolic certificate, Mr Sultana called on other local councils – as well as the government and private enterprise – to follow the capital city’s lead in encouraging small changes that could have major impacts on the environment and biodiversity.